Chapter Text
“First place winner for the Junior division Pianist class of Empire city Peridot Greene.”
“The winner of the Diamond Corporation piano competition, Miss Peridot Greene.”
“Congratulations to Miss Peridot Greene, winner of the Delmarva Youth Piano Competition.”
Once again I stood on stage while putting on my mask for all the cameras to take their photos as the faceless announcer handed me my award. I walked off stage to see all the other contestants talking and whispering behind my back. I then continued out of backstage into a sea of reporters and flashing lights, all asking me questions such as how I felt on my performance and what they should expect next of me. It wasn’t long before my adoptive mother Yvette Diamond came out with her daughter Yana Pearl Diamond, and started answering questions.
“Miss Diamond what is it like having two musical prodigies,” one of the reporters asked. Yvette always took pride in me being a piano prodigy and Yana a violin prodigy. I tried and sneak out while Yvette answered the questions when I felt a tug on my arm. I looked and saw Yana holding onto me.
“Where are you going? The violin portion is about to start,” Yana said.
“I’m gonna go out for a walk,” I said.
“Alone? Take Jasper with you it’s not a good idea for a thirteen year old to walk alone,” Yana said with a worried look on her face.
“It’ll be fine. I’ll just be by the lake,” I said as I walked off.
“You better be back for at least when I play,” Yana said.
“I’ve already heard you play you’ll be fine.” I exited the doors and walked down toward the lake next to the amphitheater. I sat down at one of the benches along the side of the lake where no one was around to so I just watched as the birds flew by. Everything was so boring. Play a piece, win an award, answer questions, then repeat. The only time that things seemed to move was when I played, but lately the sound seemed to be fading. The notes used to dance around me as I played. Filling my ears with happiness or sadness depending on what I was trying to express. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back remembering the last time I played a song that really made me feeling anything. River flows in you , I could hear it in my head. It was the last song my mom taught me before the crash. I remember after the first time I played that piece alone. Yana was freaking out on why I was crying but I couldn’t answer her. The song continued to play in my head as I notice something change to the song. It sounded right but something else was there. Something… lonely? I opened my eyes and realized tears had started to form. Somebody was playing the song. It was a violin. The more I heard the song the more I could see the notes again. That thing that was fading in my music, somebody else was doing it. I followed the music down to the dock and then I saw her. A blue hair violinist that dance along with the music as she played. She looked like she was my age. The lake reflected behind her and her tan skin as she swayed left and right her skirt following the movement. Her posture and form on how she was playing was so different then when Yana plays. Yana’s playing sounded so proper and precise. The sound of playing the piece to the exact score. To never stray from any note, but this girl the way she played. It wasn’t how the score was composed, but it sounded absolutely perfect. To be free from the chains that hold back the full piece. When the song finished she was facing the lake as I slowly clapped behind her.
“Ahh, who’s there?” she screamed as she quickly turned around. I saw that her both her eyes were white and foggy.
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scare you. I just… I heard someone playing,” I said.as I slowly walked up to her.
“I’m sorry. I know it’s probably not very good,” she said.
“No it was … good,” I said. It wasn’t how the piece was supposed to sound but it was still beautiful. “Are you competing in the competition? The violinist portion is starting soon.”
“What? Oh no I’d never be able to compete in one of those,”she said as she grabbed a pair of black sunglasses from her pocket and put them on.
“Why not you sounded great?” I asked as she whistled out a golden retriever came running by me wearing a special harness when it clicked in my head. She was blind.
“Thanks but I wouldn’t be able to follow the piece you know. I just kinda play how I want it to sound,” she said. “Any ways I should go it was nice talking to you. Come on Pumpkin.” She walked away as her guide dog lead her along the lake side. I stared at her watching her leave thinking about what she had said. To play a piece how I want to. A moment later Jasper was running down towards me.
“There you are Peridot what are you doing out here on your own?” she asked as she was panting from the running that she was doing.
“You and Yana worry too much I was just walking around,” I said as I shoved my hands back into my pockets and walked back to the amphitheater.
“Well she is your sister and I am your cousin,” Jasper said as she followed behind me.
“Yeah not really,” I said as I opened the door for my fifteen year old giant of a cousin in.
“Look Peri I know you don’t quite feel like family yet but we are now okay,” she said.
“You know ‘mom’ only adopted me for the publicity,” I retorted. My real parents had died in a car crash a little bit after I started getting recognition for my playing. It was about three years ago when that happened and Yevtte adopted me. Jasper just let out a sigh as we both headed to our seat next to Yvette. We listened to each violinist play, some decent, some not so much. Every time somebody played I couldn’t help but think that the girl from earlier was better. Even when Yana played and the crowd was in awe, but it still sounded hollow to me. After they had announced Yana the winner in the violinist portion of the competition. It was once again more pictures before Yvette actually took us home.
“Hey Peridot,” Yana asked “How did you think of my performance?” I looked at Yana as she beamed me a smile.
“You followed the score to a tee,” was what I said as she started giggling and started going off and telling me how nervous she was. I continued to watch out the window as I thought to myself, is that really a good thing?
Once we got home I walked my practice room that Yvette had for me. Our house was definitely one for musicians. With Yvette as a music producer, Yana a violin prodigy, and me as a piano prodigy you could tell after looking around our house, it was not going to be normal. Even Jasper was a musician. She played guitar and the drums but she wasn’t quite at the level me and Yana were at, but she was an excellent tuner with her perfect pitch. Our house had four soundproof rooms, one for each of us filled with whatever we needed to maintain our instruments. I slide my hand across the keys playing each note as my hand glided over them. I started playing the entertainer to warm up and was a relatively simple piece, but fun to play. As I was playing I saw myself on stage again and noticed that for a song that sounded so happy, it sounded so empty. I stopped in the middle of the piece. This didn’t sound right. The music wasn’t dancing. I looked down at my hands and thought again about what that girl had said. To play the score how I wanted to play it. I closed my eyes and started to play again but this time instead of the stage I saw myself in the middle of a meadow and that girl was there smiling and giggling. I started once again from the top but this time the girl was dancing around me still laughing. That’s when it happened I could see them the music again, the notes coming to life off the score dancing around us. I continued to play till the very last note where the girl turned to face me, but when I opened my eyes and saw Yana’s face in front of mine. I was immediately startled and fell back off the piano bench.
“Peridot! Are you okay?” Yana asked rushing to my side to help me up.
“You startled me, what were you doing?” I asked.
“Well I was wondering if you could listen to me practice for my next competition. Then I saw you playing. It was different, but really good. I didn’t know you like The entertainer so much,” she said. I got up from the floor and brushed myself off.
“What makes you say that?” I asked
“Because you were smiling the whole time when you were playing it,” She said.
After that I went back to that dock everyday to see if she was there. It took a whole week for her to come back playing on the dock. This time she was playing Castle on the Hill from Ed Sheeran . I took a seat behind her in a patch of grass and layed down and closed my eyes. This time it was me and her driving down a long strip of road that was paved by the music she played. The music was so freeing as we swerved along the road, taking us to who knows where. Once she finished playing I sat up as she whistled out again and her dog was once again by her side. I don’t know what it was but the way she played it sounded so different. It sounded like how I used to play, when I remember playing for my real parents. I continued to come and listen for the next two weeks listening to her play as I was just mesmerized by the sound. Yana was always on my case about how I should stay home with her and how we should play together. I’ve never played with anyone. Not until week three when I decided to do something a little bit different. I showed up earlier than usual and brought an electronic keyboard with me. I started to think about what to play when only one song came to mind. My fingers started to dance across the keys and the first couple of notes started to play from River flows in you . This place seemed to help her why not me? As I play I could feel it being different than when I played in my practice room. The song carried that same lonely feel than when that girl played, but all of a sudden that loneliness vanished as a violin accompaniment joined in. The sounds harmonized together carrying the sound around the whole lake. I peeked out of one of my eyes and saw her once again dancing around me as she played her violin. We both ended with her facing me with her violin in hand.
“You didn’t tell me you played?” she said as she put her sunglasses back on.
“I didn’t get the chance,” I said.
“So it is you from three weeks ago,” She said. “I could kinda see that someone was listening but could tell who.”
“Your not blind?” I asked.
“Cataract in both my eyes. Not completely blind but might as well be,” she said as put her hand on the keyboard and swiveled around it to make sure she wouldn't bump into it.
“When I heard you the first time I thought you sounded great so I came back to see if I could listen again,” I said.
“Oh a fan? Can’t see why? I’m not that good. Everything I go by I have to go by ear since you know,” sa said as she waved her hand in front of her face.
“You don’t need eyes to hear that you have an amazing sound,” I said. Good thing she can’t see me because I could feel my face burning. A small blush crept onto her face as well.
“That’s sweet of you. I’m Lapis, Lapis Lazuli,” as she held her hand out infront of her. I took her hand and shook it. They were so soft aside from the calluses on her finger tips.
“Peridot,” I said. “I should probably get out of your way. This is your spot to practice after all.” I scrambled to grab my keyboard as I felt Lapis stop me.
“Or we can play another song together?” she asked. “It was really fun playing with you, so why not another?” I watched her as she took off her sunglasses and drew her bow and started on her first couple of notes leading into Sad Song by We the Kings. The more I heard the more I couldn’t help myself but to join in and play with her. When we played together everything just seemed to harmonize so easily. I watched her play and how she was like me, we both close our eyes as we played. By the time we were done a small audience had formed behind us. Lapis put on her sunglasses again before whistling for her dog to come to her side.
“It was really fun playing with you Peridot, but I have to go,” Lapis said as she grabbed the harness for her dog and began to walk away. I felt myself slightly deflate as I watched her leave. “Hey Peridot.” I turned to see Lapis calling back to me. “Be here next week?”
“Of course!” I called back.